This invention relates to an electrical connector adapted to be interposed between two connection objects to connect these connection objects to each other (hereinafter, the electrical connector will be also called an “intermediate connector”).
An electrical connector of the type is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Tokkai (JP-A) No. H06-76876 under the title of an “anisotropic conductive connector.” The anisotropic conductive connector comprises an insulating film, a plurality of fine conductive patterns formed on an outer surface of the insulating film by etching, and a rubber-like elastic member. The insulating film is folded into a generally U shape so that the conductive patterns are exposed outside and the elastic member is interposed between folded portions of the insulating film. Further, the insulating film and the elastic member are fixed to each other. The anisotropic conductive connector is capable of optionally setting the width, alignment pitch, or pattern of conducting fine parallel lines, preventing the removal or deformation of a conductor as the time of cutting out, having high reliability as a contact, and is capable of withstanding the repeated insertion and extraction.
In the anisotropic conductive connector described above, the plurality of fine conductive patterns are formed on only the outer surface of the insulating film. It is therefore difficult to narrow a pitch of the fine conductive patterns.
Another electrical connector of the type is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Tokkai (JP-A) No. 2003-123868 under the title of a “press-contact connector.” The press-contact connector comprises an insulating elastomer, an insulating rubber sheet covering the insulating elastomer and fixed thereto by an adhesive, and a plurality of conductive thin wires arranged along an outer surface of the insulating rubber sheet at a predetermined pitch. In the press-contact connector having such a structure, two circuit boards are electrically connected to each other through the press-contact connector.
In the press-contact connector, the plurality of conductive thin wires are formed on only the outer surface of the insulating rubber sheet at the predetermined pitch. Therefore, it is also difficult to narrow a pitch of the conductive thin wires. In addition, the conductive rubber sheet having almost U-shaped cross section is made to cover a part of the periphery to almost the insulating elastomer. It is therefore difficult to thin the electrical connector.